Bulgaria’s New Transport Minister Prioritizes Railway Safety Amid Growing Incidents
Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov has announced that improving the safety of railway transport will be his top priority
The first round of expert meetings initiated by the party "We Continue the Change" to develop a ruling program for a future coalition government took place today.
The start was given in the morning with a discussion on the topics "Economy" and "Energy", and in the afternoon the discussions continued on the priorities in the sectors "Justice" and "Transport".
From the very first meeting it became clear that the goal is a full ruling mandate.
The co-chairman of "We Continue the Change" Asen Vassilev:
"We are committed here for the next four years, for the government's program."
The discussion he led in the energy sector lasted five and a half hours instead of the originally planned three hours. The issue of the development of nuclear energy turned out to be the most controversial.
Asen Vassilev was adamant that Bulgaria should remain a nuclear state.
"For us, nuclear power in Bulgaria is not just a matter of energy security, it is a matter of national security."
He was supported by BSP and "There Is Such a People." However, Democratic Bulgaria disputed the need to build the 7th reactor at Kozloduy NPP.
It was agreed to negotiate with the EU to maximize the operation of the Maritza Iztok energy complex, to compensate household and non-household consumers for high electricity prices, to audit state-owned companies in the sector and possibly establish a deputy prime minister for climate.
In the Economy panel, the future coalition partners agreed to lift restrictions on business aid if the vaccination rate increases.
Kiril Petkov: "This with the closure, release, payment of some public money - these waves must stop. We cannot damage business on every wave, on the one hand. On the other hand - to pay for some resources that are limited - instead of putting them in some targeted investment policies, just to compensate for the fact that we failed to be informed, well enough that the only way to save ourselves from now on is through vaccination. Of course, with the right to choose, but an informed choice."
In the Justice sector, negotiators agreed to reform the prosecution service and rethink the figure of the chief prosecutor, abolish the specialized court and prosecutor's office, and restructure the anti-corruption commission.
In the Transport Sector, We Continue the Change, BSP, There Is Such a People and Democratic Bulgaria agreed on the adoption of a new Road Traffic Act. An audit of the infrastructure sites will also be performed.
Consensus in the negotiations for a coalition agreement was not reached on the proposal of RIA to move to the Ministry of Transport, as the idea was launched by BSP.
"There Is Such a Nation" has spoken out against this structural change. According to Grozdan Karadzhov, the road agency and the projects it is implementing should remain in the regional ministry. The leader of "We Continue the Change" Asen Vassilev supports the idea to transfer it.
Asked if he really thought this would improve the work, Vassilev said:
"Honestly, yes, but obviously from this conversation… - as they say, we agree that we disagree on this point."
This issue will be discussed further at a later stage, the negotiators decided.
Tomorrow, the sectors of Health, Agriculture, Education and e-Government will be discussed. The meetings continue until Saturday inclusive, and the final text of the program and the priorities by areas will be discussed again in a leadership format.
/BNR
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